Hong Kong Blocks Website on National Security Grounds: Ming Pao

A pedestrian wearing a protective mask walks past a government-sponsored advertisement promoting a new national security law in Hong Kong, China, on Monday, June 29, 2020. The national security law that China could impose on Hong Kong as early as this week won't need to be used if the financial hub's residents avoid crossing certain "red lines," according to Bernard Chan, a top adviser to Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam. Photographer: Paul Yeung/Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong police blocked a local website and cited the National Security Law for the first time in doing so, Ming Pao reported, citing police sources it didn’t identify.

The National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force blocked hkchronicles.com, without specifying which content violated the law, according to Ming Pao. The website often features pro-democracy articles.

Ming Pao reported that Hong Kong police declined to comment on individual cases on Friday, but the authority cited Article 43 of the National Security Law, which states the officers can order service providers to block access to electronic information deemed likely to constitute a crime endangering national security or result in such a crime. The police said they would take action in accordance with the law, depending on the circumstances.

The national security law was imposed by Beijing on the former British colony in June, sparking international condemnation led by the U.S. that Beijing was reneging on promises to guarantee the city’s unique freedoms following its return to Chinese rule.